Male infertility: Can cell phone use impact sperm count?

Evan Walker
Evan Walker TheMediTary.Com |
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A large population-based study shows decreased sperm concentration and total sperm count with increased mobile phone use. Westend61/Getty Images
  • Health experts have searched for environmental and lifestyle influences behind decreasing male sperm count for half a century.
  • Some researchers believe mobile phones emitting low-level radiofrequency electromagnetic fields may affect male fertility.
  • A large Swiss population study revealed decreased sperm concentration and total sperm count with increased mobile phone use.
  • The findings indicate that advanced phone technologies may have less impact on sperm quality.

Compromised male fertility is thought to contribute to approximately half of clinical infertility cases.

Male infertility is a growing public health concern as experts have observed a 50% decline in male sperm counts over several decades.

Searching for answers, researchers have been investigating various environmental factors for their potential influence on sperm quality. These may include:

  • radiation exposure
  • endocrine disruptors
  • lifestyle habits (i.e., diet, stress, alcohol, drugs, and smoking)

In a recent study, scientists with the University of Geneva and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute examined the effects that mobile phone use and placement may have on male infertility.

The 13-year study suggests that smartphone use may be associated with lower sperm concentration and total sperm count (TSC) in young adult males.

However, transitions to 3G and 4G may have eased the impact on sperm count, perhaps due to the lower transmitting power of newer phones.

The findings were recently published in Fertility and Sterility.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a male with a sperm concentration below 15 million per milliliter may take more than a year to conceive a child with a partner.

Moreover, the chances of pregnancy are lower if the sperm concentration falls under 40 million per milliliter.

Research indicates that sperm count has lowered to an average of 47 million sperm per milliliter from 99 million. This is especially so in Western nations.

Medical News Today discussed the Swiss study with Dr. Hussain Ahmad, a consultant practitioner in the United Kingdom. He was not involved in the research.

Dr. Ahmad shared that myriad factors affect sperm count, such as:

  • drug use (prescription and illegal)
  • alcohol use
  • tobacco use
  • stress
  • physical inactivity

“Generally speaking, the world is a lot more “medicated” than it used to be. A lot of that can be attributed to advances in the Health industry for diagnosis and treatment, as well as increased stress and pressure from modern lifestyles. When you combine the two of these, more patients are being diagnosed with stress and treated with medications. In theory, experiencing a level of stress that requires medical treatment doubles the chances of affected men having fertility issues.”

— Dr. Hussain Ahmad, consultant practitioner

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